testimonials

Summer 2000 Edition - Dr. Doi's Talking Story

For those of you who have been with me since the early years (the 1980’s), you know that a lot has changed. The basic character of our practice is explained quite well in our yellow page ad that states, "Welcomes new patients who desire a dentist who listens well and explains fully observes sanitary standards of the highest level keeps up with the very latest in dental knowledge and techniques…uses only the finest dental materials and laboratory services and whose work is professional, gentle and personal." This description still holds true except for out holistic approach to dentistry. I feel over the past 10 years, our practice continues to grow and expand in this area. First, I chose the term "Biological Dentistry" which appeared to cause more confusion than answer any questions. I feel now that this was not the best choice, for I get many questions as to what this means. If I use the term holistic, however, there seems to be fewer questions as to its meaning in the context of dentistry. As the practice has evolved, I began to search for a new logo. After at least two years of searching, creating, and designing more than a dozen possibilities, I believe I have found the right logo.

The logo represents my dental practice. My name rests on the top of three pillars. It forms a crescent name to symbolize a smile. I feel blessed to be practicing dentistry in the lovely town of Kamuela. The practice is a happy place, with happy staff and many satisfied and smiling patients. Resting on top of the three pillars of the practice, the curved nameplate also symbolizes a receptive mode, like a satellite dish that is receiving signals. One of the strengths of the practice is taking time to listen to the patients and being open to their ideas. Because of this characteristic, I feel that we learn a lot from our patients and continue to grow and expand.

The first pillar stands for my holistic philosophy. To me this means many different things. In practicing dentistry, I try not to lose sight of the fact that the mouth is part of the body, and any treatment of the mouth affects the whole body. The reverse is also true. When changes occur in other parts of the body, we notice changes in the mouth as well. Whether we are treating periodontal diseases or tooth abscesses, I feel we have to be careful about what type of materials and chemicals we place in the oral cavity. I am open to working with alternative healers, if appropriate, to correct the problem at hand. I prefer to use less invasive medications and to be conservative in my approach to restoring the dentition, if warranted.

My approach of working with my patients with a soft touch is represented by the second pillar. Many years ago, I became interested in methods to help patients relax and deal with the anxiety of receiving dental treatment. I became certified in classical hypnosis and moved on to neurolinguistic programming, a form of hypnosis that does not rely on an altered state. Besides incorporating the mental soft touch to the practice, we try hard to be as gentle as possible. Not a day goes by without our staff getting feedback about how gentle we are or how concerned we are about making the patients’ visits more pleasurable. Believe it or not, some patients even fall asleep during dental treatment.

My practice is held up by high technology, indicated by the third pillar in the logo. I feel that there are many high tech devices that are kinder to the body. One such example is the digital x-ray. Our office was one of the first in the state to use digital radiography, which can reduce the patient’s exposure to radiation from 50% to 90%. A year ago, I purchased a soft or cold laser. As the name suggests, the laser does not remove tissue but rather heals injured tissue by stimulating the area with energy (laser). Again, we were one of the first in the state to use this cold laser technology. Just recently, I acquired KaVoDIAGNOdent, which is an instrument that uses laser technology to help the dentist determine if a suspicious area on a tooth should be restored or not. I kept tabs on this instrument for over two years, and after a company got FDA approval, I become the first dentist in the state to purchase it. We invite patients to experience our special practice of dentistry.

Not long after I moved to Hawaii, nearly 16 months ago, a nagging cough and chest congestion settled in. I’ve never had allergies, but thought it might possibly be due to molds. Sometimes the annoying cough was worse than others, but rarely did I feel completely free from it.

Four months ago, I went to my first dental visit with Dr. Doi. He discovered a dead tooth with a rare internal infection which apparently was being absorbed by my body. Just a week or two after the tooth was removed, the tickle and chest condition totally cleared up. Now, nearly four months later, I still feel great. Who would have guessed that my physical health was being affected by a bad tooth?

Irene
Kamuela, Hawaii